Seam ironing machine



Oct. 9, 1934. A, (3, ITH 7 1,976,043

SEAM IRONING momma Original Filed July 3, 1928 mA/ M Patented Get. 9, 1934- tliiiifi i? ere recs 1,976,043 SEAM IRONING MACHINE Application July 3, 1928, Serial No. 290,224

Renewed March 9, 1934 21 Claims. (ci 'zza-zs) This invention relatesto seam ironing machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,342,417, granted June 8, 1920, on an app ication ofG. Boulton and G. J. Gorsuch.

In certain classes of work, textile work for example, it is desired to fold and press the upstanding edges of a seam in superposed position against the body of the work at the same side of the seam vertex or stitching. The invention as illustrated herein provides an improved seam ironing machine designed particularly to facilitate treating in the above manner seams in textile work. Vari- -ous features of the invention are not, however, limited to embodiment in machines of the type above referred to.

In view of the above it is one object of the present invention to facilitate the ironing of seams such as those mentioned. and the presentation of a seam to pressing means, and to this end one feature of the invention consists in the combination with work feeding and pressing means and a work support or" improved seam folding and guid ng means located above the work support and having substantially parallel or complementary spiral faces arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other and to fold them in juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching. The work engaging faces of the seam guiding elements being substantially parallel or complementary, when spaced from on another by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the upstanding portions of the seam to allow the introduction of a completely control the upstanding portions of the while passing between the guiding elements. Further to insure the seam being directed properly to the above-mentioned operating instrumentalitie's, the seam guiding and folding means is arranged also to cooperate with a wort; support having a rib extending therefrom between the elements of the folding and guiding means in alinement with the channel therein. One class of work which may be handled to particular advantage by a machine organized in accordance with the present invention is cap linings. The crown and side pieces of cap linings form a sharp angle with respect to each other before the seam is pressed and the lapping edges project substantially at right angles to the side pieces. When a seam of this character has been ironed by a machine embodying my invention, the sharp angle at the seam is rounded and the projecting edges are laid closely against the side piece of the lining, thereby insuring that the lining will fit accurately and smoothly within the body of the cap.

Owing to the presence of the line of stitching at one side of the group of layers of material in a seam folded in the manner above referred to, it is somewhat thicker at one side than at the other. Another object of the invention is to provide improved pressing instrumentalities in a seam ironing machine of the above-mentioned type which tend to prevent seams, as described above, fromriding out from betweenthe pressing instrumentalities. To this end another feature of the invention consists in an improved feed roll and cooperating pressing device having complementary work engaging faces shaped and arranged so that transverse chords between the extremes of their faces or transverse tangents to the central portion of their faces are disposed obliquely to the direction of pressure therebetween. As herein shown, the diameter of the feed roll gradually. changes between a maximum at one side and a minimumat the other side thereof.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the operating instrumentalities of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective, on an enlarged scale, of the cooperating guiding members;

' Fig; 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

.Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the parts shown inFig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a piece of work, including a seam which has been operated upon by the illustrated machine.

The'drawing shows a portion of the frame'10 of such a machine as that disclosed in said Patent No. 1,342,417, to which reference may be had for details of general construction. The frame has a lower portion in'which is supported a stationary journal 12 for a bevel gear 14, to which is keyed a feed roll 20 having a convexly curved peripheral surface of greater diameter at one side than at the other. The gear 14 and thefeed roll are driven by a bevel gear 16 fast to the upper end of a vertical driving shaft 18, all of this mechanism corresponding to the similar parts disclosed. in said patent. The framehas an overhanging arm 30 which carries the folding foot or work guiding foot and the presser block, which will be described presently in more detail.

The work is presented to the machine by passing it over a support and guard 22 shaped to embrace the outer side of the feed roll 20 and to extend over the forward edge thereof to a point substantially in alignment with and above its axis. The support 22 is mounted by means of a downwardly extending stem 24 which is received in a suitable socket in the lower portion of the machine frame 10. At its upper edge, it is provided with a tapering rib 26 extending longitudinally in the direction of rotation of the feed roll 20 and overlying said feed roll at the side of the transverse center thereof of smaller diameter. The rib 26 acts to find the channel of the seam vertex and thereby to position the work definitely and guide it in a straight line in its presentation to the operating instrumentalities of the machine. It will be seen that a sliding tongue and groove connection in effect'is thus established between the work support and the work and that the groove or channel of the seam will not disengage itself from the tongue of the rib 26 so long as the work is held down upon the work support.

The work is held in this manner by the folding foot which is carried by an overhanging arm 30 provided with ears for vertically guiding a bar 32, which is yieldingly urged toward the work to a position determined by an adjustable stop screw 34 threaded into the arm of a block 36 which is secured to the lower end of the bar 32.

J The stop screw 34 bears upon the upper surface of the presser block and so limits the downward movement of the bar and the parts carried thereby. The block 36 has a downwardly extending arm 38 which carries a guide member 40 having an overhanging portion 42 with a spirally curved face. Adjustably secured to the block 36 is a flexible plate 44, carrying at its lower end a cooperating guide member 46 having a portion 48 formed with an upturned spiral surface which is complementary to the face 42 and disposed opposite thereto when the parts are assembled in operative relation. The plate 44 is slotted and secured to the block 36 by a clamping screw and is provided with a transverse adjusting screw 49 by which the spacing of the two guide members may be adjusted. The opposed guide faces 42 and 48 are substantially parallel and equidistant throughout their extent. At the forward or work-receiving ends of the guide members 40 and 46, the faces 42 and 48 extend vertically upwardly, and radially outwardly from the feed roll. At the rearward ends of the guide members, the faces 42 and 48 extend from the guide rib 26 outwardly toward the side of the feed roll 20 of larger diameter in a direction substantially parallel to the peripheral surface thereof. The intermediate portions of the cooperating faces 42 and 48 are curved to unite the forward and rearward portions thereof, the

faces then progressively inclining toward the high side of the feed roll. The lower surfaces of the guide members 40 and 46 extend substantially tangentially to the feed roll, and longitudinally of the direction of movement of the feed roll 20. The guide members are arranged so that they are spaced symmetrically above the guide rib 26 to allow the introduction of a seam therebetween. The upstanding portions of the seam are received within said channel in substantially vertical position, are held together,

and as they pass between said faces are bent progressively toward the right-hand side of the seam vertex or toward the side of the feed roll of larger diameter, as seen in Fig. 4, so that when they emerge at the rear ends of the guide members, both of the previously upstanding portions of the seam are folded into superposed relation and into juxtaposition to the body of the work, and pass to the feed roll and presser block in this condition.

It may be noted from the drawing that the cooperating faces of the folding foot and the surface of the work support, between which work is received, are complemental, curved, and extend in a direction oblique to the direction of pressure therebetween.

The feed roll 20 is of unsymmetrical transverse contour, its minimum diameter at its extreme left side, as seen in Fig. 3, gradually increasing to a maximum at its right side and corresponding in contour to the curvature of the supporting member 22. The convex peripheral surface of the feed roll is thus disposed obliquely to the axis of rotation of the feed roll. The presser block 50 has a complemental lower face and extends concentrically with the feed roll for about 90 of its circumference. It is provided with a recess 52 for an electric heating unit and serves to hot-press or iron the work as it is dragged beneath it by the action of the feed roll. The presser block is carried by the overhanging arm 30 of the machine frame, is resiliently or yieldingly urged radially toward the feed roll 20, and is in other respects also preferably mounted and equipped as shown in said Patent No. 1,342,417.

Fig. 6 illustrates a piece of work including a seam having two upstanding portions 62 and 64 united by a line of stitching 66 and forming the seam vertex 68. The initial condition of the seam is shown at the right end of the work where the upstanding portions 62 and 64 diverge from the seam vertex at different angles.

In presenting the work to the machine, the advancing ends of the upstanding portions are brought together and introduced between the outer ends of the guide members 40 and. 46 while the work is located so as to straddle the work support 22 with the seam vertex fitting upon the guide rib 26. The work is pushed through the guide members by the operator and in its passage the upstanding portions are bent over in superposed position on the same side of the seam vertex. When the work in this conditions reaches a point at which it can be engaged by the feed roll, it is at once picked up and carried along automatically, passing beneath the heated presser block 50 and emerging with the seam set smoothly and permanently in the condition represented at the left end of the work in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the seam vertex is located transversely upon the feed roll at one side of the center thereof and that the superposed edges are directed toward the higher side, or side of larger diameter, of the feed roll. In other words, the thicker portion of the material of the seam ex tends toward the part of the feed roll which is most steeply crowned. This, as already pointed out, has been found the most favorable disposition of the work to insure its passage through the machine without deviation from the line of the seam.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, work feeding and pressing means, and means for guiding the work thereto comprising a work support and spaced guides located above the work support and having opposed complementary spiral faces arranged to hold the upstanding portions ofthe seam against each other and to fold them in juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching, said work support having a guiding rib extending centrally between said guides for engaging the seam vertex.

2. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, work feedin and pressing-means, and means for guiding the work thereto comprising a work support and spaced guides located above the work support and having opposed complementary spiral faces arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other and to fold them in juxtaposition to the body of the work at one sideof' the stitching.

3. A seam ironing ma hine, havingin combination, a driven work feeding roll, a cooperating heated pressing device, and spaced members for guiding the work thereto shaped to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other by engagement with the opposite sides thereof and having curved parallel faces completely controlling the position of' said-portions while in engagement therewith and bending them both to the same side of the seam vertex before they pass between-thefeeding roll and pressing device.

4, A seam ironing machine, having in combination, a feed roll the diameter of which progressively increases from one side to the other, a pressing device resiliently urged toward said roll to flatten a seam in-a piece of work therebetween, and guides constructed and arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam together by engagement with their opposite'sides and to fold thenr against the body of the work at the side of the seam adjacent to the larger portion of said feed roll.

5. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, a feed roll the diameter of which progressively increases from one side to the other, a pressing device cooperating with said roll to flatten aseam in a piece of work therebetween, the work engaging surfaces of said roll and said pressing device conforming to each other peripherally and transversely, and means forfolding both of the upstanding portions of the seam against the body of the work which is supported 1 *7. In a seam ironing machine having in combination a feed roll and cooperating seam pressing'means the cooperating surfaces of which are ,oblique to the direction of pressing force therebetween, means for folding the upstanding edges of a seam toward the body of the work comprising a folding foot having parallel guide members spaced to embrace both upstanding lapping edges of the seam and shaped to fold them at one side of the stitching, and a work support having a rib arranged to guide the work by engagement therewith at the vertex of the seam being operated upon, the cooperating surfaces of said folding ,means and support being in substantial alinement with the cooperating surfaces of said feed roll and seam pressing means, thereby to present the work to said roll and pressing means obliquely to the direction of the pressing force therebetween.

8. In a seam ironing machine having a work feeding and pressing means, a yielding folding foot constructed and arranged to fold the up-- standing portions of a seam both at one side of the stitching and in juxtaposition to the body of the work, said folding foot comprising relative-- ly adjusta le cooperating guide members having substantially complemental spiral work engaging faces bounding a channel adapted to receive and completely to support both of the upstanding portions of a seam fed therethrough.

9. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, pressing means comprising a feed roll and a cooperating pressing tool, said roll and tool having curved complemental work engaging surfaces, a transverse chord between the extremes of which surfaces is oblique to the direction of pressure between said pressing means, and means for directing a seam in a piece'of work to said pressing means and for folding both upstandingportions of the seam together in juxtaposition to the body of the work toward the higher portion thereof.

10. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, pressing means comprising a feed roll 10,5 and a cooperating pressing tool having curved complement-a1 work engaging surfaces a transverse chord bet veen the extremes of which surfaces is oblique to the direction of pressurebetweensaid pressing means, a folding foot having compiemental spiral work engaging faces, and a work support having a rib extending towardv said channel centrally thereof, thereby to hold; the vertex of a scam in alinement therewith.

11. A seam ironing machine, having in combination, pressing means comprising a feed rolland a cooperating pressing tool having curved complemental work en aging surfaces a transverse chord between the extremes of which surfaces is oblique to the direction of pressure between said pressing means, a folding foot having complemental spiral work engaging faces, and a work support having a rib extending toward said channel centrally thereof, thereby to hold the vertex of a seam in alinement therewith, said 125 folding foot being arranged to fold both upstanding portions of the seam at one side of the rib and in juxtaposition to the body of the work at the side thereof above the rib. V 12. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a feed roll having a peripheral surface disposed obliquely to the axis of rotation of said feed roll, a pressing device having a surface cooperating with, and conforming to, said peripheral surface of the feed roll, said pressing device being yieldingly urged radially toward said feed roll to press a seam in a piece of work therebetween, and means for directing the seam over the roll constructed and arranged to fold the upstanding portions of the seam together at the side of the stitching toward the portion of the oblique peripheral surface of the roll more remote from the axis of said feed roll.

13. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a feed roll, pressing means cooperating 145 therewith, and means for guiding the work to said feed roll and pressing means comprising a work support and spaced guides located above the work support and having opposed substantially parallel curved faces arranged to hold the upstanding 150 portions of the seam against each other and to fold them into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching.

14. In a seam ironing machine, in combination,

5 a feed roll, pressing means cooperating therewith,

and means for guiding the work to said feed roll and pressing means comprising a work support and guides located above the work support and having opposed substantially complementary faces arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other and to fold them into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching, the adjacent surfaces of said guides and work support extending substantially tangentially to said feed roll.

15. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a feed roll, pressing means cooperating therewith, and means for guiding the work to said feed roll and pressing means comprising a work support and spaced guides located above the work support and having opposed substantially parallel curved faces arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other and to fold them into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching, said work support having a guiding rib extending centrally between said guides for engaging the seam vertex.

16. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a feed roll, pressing means cooperating therewith,

and means for guiding the work to said feed roll and pressing means comprising a work support provided with a guiding rib overlying said feed roll and extending longitudinally of the direction of movement thereof, and spaced guides located 35. above the work support and having opposed substantially parallel curved faces the lower portions of which directly overlie said guiding rib, said faces being arranged to hold the upstanding portions of the seam against each other and to fold them into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching.

17. In a seam ironing machine having work feeding and pressing means, means for guiding the work thereto comprising, in combination, a

.iwork support, and guides located above the work support and having faces cooperating to define a channel the lower portion of which extends in the direction of movement of said work feeding means, the upper portions of said guide faces Iprogressively inclining to a greater extent toward the body of the work, whereby the upstanding portions of the seam may be folded into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching.

18. A seam ironing machine having, in combination, a feed roll having a peripheral work en-' gaging surface of greater diameter at one side than at the other, a work support overlying said feed roll, said work support having an upstand- 0 ing rib extending in the direction of rotation of said feed roll and overlying said feed roll at the side of the transverse center thereof of smaller diameter, and spaced guides having opposed substantially parallel faces defining a channel the i lower portion of which overlies said guide rib, said faces extending substantially vertically upwardly at the work receiving end of the guide members and progressively inclining to an increasingly greater extent toward the side of the feed roll of larger diameter.

19. In a seam ironing machine for pressing the upstanding portions of a seam into juxtaposition to the body of the work at one side of the stitching, in combination, a feed roll, pressing means cooperating with said feed roll, a work support overlying said feed roll, and guides overlying said work support, said guides having complemental work engaging faces extending substantially vertically upwardly at the work receiving end of said guide members and said faces inclining in a direction substantially parallel to the body of the work at the discharge end of said guide members, intermediate portions of said cooperating faces being curved to unite the forward and rearward portions thereof.

20. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a work feeding roll having a convexly curved peripheral surface of greater diameter at one side than at the other, a work support overlying said feed roll, said work support having an upper surface conforming to that of the feed roll and having a rib extending in the direction of rotation of said feed roll, a folding foot overlying said work support and cooperable therewith to permit work to be received therebetween, and said folding foot including a pair of guide members having substantially parallel cooperating faces the lower portions of which overlie said rib, said faces being spaced sufficiently to engage snugly the entire upstanding portions of a seam and extending upwardly at their forward or work receiving ends and progressively inclining toward the high side of the feed roll and approaching parallelism with said feed roll.

21. In a seam ironing machine, in combination, a feed roll of greater diameter at one side than at the other to provide a peripheral surface oblique to the axis of rotation thereof, seam ironing means having a surface cooperating with and conforming to the peripheral surface of said feed roll and said ironing means being arranged to be yieldingly urged radially toward said feed roll, a work support overlying said feed roll and having a rib extending in the direction of rotation of said feed roll and arranged to engage the seam vertex of the work, and a folding device overlying said rib and having guide members provided with spaced cooperating faces overlying said rib and arranged to receive and engage the upstanding 130 edges of the seam therebetween, said cooperating guide faces extending substantially radially outwardly at the forward end of the folding device and said faces at the rearward end of the folding device extending from said guide rib outwardly 135 toward the side of the feed roll of larger diameter in a direction substantially parallel to the peripheral surface thereof.

ARCHIBALD C. SMITH. 

